With the Red Sox hosting the Cardinals in another exhibition game under the Florida sun, Boston chose to send the starting lineup out to home plate with Tate Matheny, a young outfielder who hasn’t yet advanced his fledgling professional career beyond High-A ball.

Even for a spring game, that might normally be considered a puzzling move. Considering who came out to greet him from the opposing dugout, it made all the sense in the world.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny—better known to Tate as ‘dad’—couldn't contain his smile as he strode to home plate to deliver the lineup for his club.

Tate Matheny was originally drafted by the Cardinals out of Westminster Christian Academy in the 23rd round of the 2012 Draft, but he kept his commitment to play collegiately at Missouri State instead of signing with St. Louis. Boston later selected Matheny in the fourth round of the 2015 Draft after the St. Louis manager maintained his preference that the Cardinals not draft his son.

Mike Matheny will keep today’s scorecard as a souvenir. There are three generations of Mathenys - his son Tate (Red Sox farmhand) and grandson Ryker - in the same park for the first time. #STLCards